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Japan v Poland (2018 World Cup)
| next = }} Japan v Poland was a match which took place at the Volgograd Arena on Thursday 28 June 2018. Preview and teams's preparation Japan could recall Leicester's Shinji Okazaki, who has featured in both of their previous games as a substitute. Veteran goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima has made costly errors in consecutive matches and may be replaced by 23-year-old Kosuke Nakamura. Already eliminated Poland could make changes for their final game. Experienced defender Kamil Glik made his comeback from a shoulder injury as a substitute against Colombia and may return to the starting line-up. Japan captain Makoto Hasebe: "Japan are not the kind of team that can aim for a point and go and carry negative plan out. "I think we have to focus on getting three points rather than make calculations. We have four points after two games but we haven't accomplished anything yet." Poland captain Robert Lewandowski: "We realise we didn't do well enough but that is something we cannot overcome. Head to head Japan have won the two previous games between these sides, scoring a total of seven unanswered goals. They beat the Poles 5-0 in Hong Kong in February 1996 and won 2-0 in the Polish city of Lodz in March 2002. Both games were friendlies. Match Japan reached the last 16 of the World Cup by having a better disciplinary record than Senegal - after losing to Poland in their final Group H game. The match finished in farcical fashion, with both sides happy to play the ball around at the back for much of the final quarter. Akira Nishino's side finished with the same number of points, goals scored and goals conceded as Senegal, but were shown only four yellow cards to the African side's six. Colombia's 1-0 win over Senegal meant the South American team topped the group ahead of Japan, with those sides facing England or Belgium next. Southampton defender Jan Bednarek's well-taken volley from Rafal Kurzawa's free-kick won the match for Poland, who were already eliminated. Indeed Japan substitute Makoto Hasebe, who came on with eight minutes remaining, made a 'card' gesture to his team-mates to make it clear they were through as it stood. Japan topped the group going into the final round of games, needing just a point to be assured of a place in the knockout stage for only the second time since 2002, when they were co-hosts. They were heading out when Bednarek scored, and Southampton's Maya Yoshida headed just wide on 72 minutes as they pushed for an equaliser. But two minutes later they were given a reprieve by Colombia defender Yerry Mina's thumping header in the group's other game. As news of the goal filtered through to the Volgograd Arena, both teams were content to sit back. It was a risky strategy - a second goal for Poland or a Senegal equaliser would have eliminated them - but it ultimately paid off. With their game finishing a couple of minutes before Colombia's victory was confirmed, the Japan players initially waited anxiously around the pitch, before celebrating wildly in front of their supporters. But there was widespread criticism for the manner in which they had reached the last 16. "It was a farce, an absolute farce," said BBC co-commentator Mark Lawrenson. "There has to be a better way of settling the table in the World Cup than bookings." Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman said on BBC Two: "That is embarrassing - the way the two teams went about the final 10 minutes is everything we do not want to see in a World Cup. It turned into a farce." Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill added: "It takes you back to World Cups in 1982 and 1986, when we saw games like that. It is mind-boggling for me as a coach to leave your whole destiny in the hands of another game, and do it for so long. "I had developed a bit of a soft spot for Japan, but I hope they get battered in the next round." Details |stadium = Volgograd Arena, Volgograd |attendance = 42,189 |referee = Janny Sikazwe (Zambia) }} |valign="top"| |valign="top" width="50%"| |} Final Group H Table |w=2 |d=0 |l=1 |gf=5 |ga=2|bc=lightgreen|advances = y}} |w=1 |d=1 |l=1 |gf=4 |ga=4 |bc=lightgreen|advances = y}} |w=1 |d=1 |l=1 |gf=4 |ga=4|eliminated=y}} |w=1 |d=0 |l=2 |gf=2 |ga=5|eliminated=y}} |} Match Stats= {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- !width=130|Overall !width=70|Japan !width=70|Poland |- !scope=row|Goals scored |0||1 |- !scope=row|Total shots |10||11 |- !scope=row|Shots on target |3||2 |- !scope=row|Ball possession |54%||46% |- !scope=row|Corner kicks |5||7 |- !scope=row|Fouls committed |11||8 |-| See also *2018 FIFA World Cup :*2018 FIFA World Cup Group H External links *Match report at BBC.co.uk Category:2018 FIFA World Cup Matches